We are a quarter of the way through the Steemit school 100 days of poetry challenge.
I didn't anticipate I would get this far.
It is all a blur of mishmashed, half baked word jumbles.
But I have completed the task each day, and haven't yet taken a skip day.
My health and medical problems are a huge burden on me and my family.
I am inclined to keep as many days as I can up my sleeve should I need them. While acute incidences may arise, I can no longer refer to my health as unpredictable. It is predictably limiting on our lives. Any efforts, even typing right now, is the source of increased pain and fatigue.
In spite of this I am so very determined to find a better way.
To carry these things with improved humility, and to allow it to be a part of my life, but not the sum of it.
I have met several people during the past few weeks of the poetry challenge who have encouraged me, and through sharing their own poetry posts, and sharing of their lives, have inspired me too.
I have even listened into the classes on discord a few times this week.
These are at 4am my time, which I am up for if I am having a bad night. A silver lining for sure.
I have learned that there are still things that I do have power over. I can decide how I behave, the choices I make, how I respond to situations, and in turn effect outcomes.
Thank you to everyone who comments and up votes my little offering.
I do like to respond to everyone, as each personal comment does mean so much to me. If I don't respond at length or if I take some time, it is everything to do with my level of functioning and nothing to do with a lack of gratitude.
As a feature of my connective tissue disorder
I have orthostatic intolerance, dysautonomia, and wide spread joint instability.
Which translates literally to - A burden of being upright.
My poetry has been somewhat representative of the rollercoaster of this limited existence. Guilt, pain, frustration, determination, anger, gratitude, love, resentment, exhaustion, goals, denial, sadness, stubbornness, ego, expectations, disappointment, self perception, self loathing... did I mention guilt?
Today I heard from @quillfire.
One of my lovely mentors.
Like many of us at day 25, I have become a little bit stuck with my writing.
I don't know how he knew that my brain is geared towards an auditory learning style, but his suggestion was brilliant.
Might I suggest you try a poem in Ballad Meter (you're almost there anyway):
8/6/8/6 syllable count
Rhyme scheme: abcb
To perfect your rhythm, sing your words to a song in "common measure."
Do you recall a Coke commercial from the 1970's ... by the Hilltop Singers?
"I'd like to buy the world a home,
And furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honeybees,
And snow-white turtle doves.
I'd like to teach the world to sing,
In perfect harmony,
I'd like to buy the world a Coke,
And keep it company.
That is perfect ballad meter. When you're writing, sing your words to the tune. And don't be a smarty-pants and say the 1970s's ... ??? Just Google it. It's on YouTube. :-)
This will teach your mind to pay attention to meter and rhythm.
Thank you @quillfire this was a brilliant recommendation.
I am working on somrthing at the moment.
I don't know if I will finish today or tomorrow.
Today, at day 25, I may allow myself to take a breath.
If you are interested in joining me as I sing my way through my next post or two, check out the jingle here.
Just to clarify -
I won't be performing my self indulgent ballad on Dtube anytime soon.
Everyone is welcome to come take part in the poetry classes.
5–7 PM GMT in The Steem schools live class: https://discord.gg/yZvYjfM. Take part, share your work, join in the feedback on others' pieces, or just listen in like me.
Above images from pixabay. Video owned by coca-cola.
